Renewal and Refinement

Beginnings are scary. Endings are sad.  It's the middle that it's all about!

                                                              --Movie Hope Floats in 1998

The last few weeks have found me challenged with some new beginnings, some endings and lots of middle time.  Since I am a bit short on time this evening, I am going to share just a quick glimpse of the past few weeks.

A few of us from our women's LifeServe group traveled to Sioux City for a woman's conference.  The speaker for this conference was author and speaker, Lysa TerKeurst.  Many years ago Lysa wrote a book, Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed.  Besides my bible, this is one of my most cherished books.  The book offered me great hope on some of my darkest days....and guess what???  That's right, while everyone else was having Lysa sign their shiny new books, I was able to have her sign my

tattered, worn and very dear to me book.  Thank you Lysa for offering me hope and direction!  The weekend was a filled with great teaching and shared times with some very special women.  (Renewal)

 

Soon after we came home, the refinement time started.  Have you ever found yourself traveling down a road only to meet a roadblock?  Yup, that was me...I am happy to share though, that I didn't fall in the pot hole.  Instead, I put on my emergency flashers (prayer), consulted with my mechanic(God), sprayed some windshield washer fluid (tears) and worked on my repairs (heart.)  Although road blocks can be a bit frustrating, it excites me that God cares so much about our life journey's that He loves us enough to give us directions.  So, while my repairs are healing, I am sitting by the fireplace with a hot cup of tea....just a waiting!  (Refinement)

Blogging has mixed blessings...the blessing is that I have been able to share life with some very remarkable and encouraging people.  People I consider friends...the mixed part comes when one of your blogger friends has experienced tragedy in their life.  Recently, Brenda from Breast Cancer Sisterhood lost her sweet husband.  How can I convey my sympathies to her?  How can I let her know that my heart cries with hers?  Is there a way to show support and love, to provide hope and encouragement?  Along with this sadness, another blogger friend, Daria from Living with Cancer passed away from metastatic breast cancer.  How does one grieve for someone you never met in person?  My hearts and prayers are with both of these families.

A few weeks ago, my low back started hurting (yes, I know the hysterectomy was supposed to take care of this....yah, right.)  Anyways, I went to a physician who specializes in physical medicine.  I decided to be blunt and state to her "I think all this pain is related to my bilateral mastectomy."  And guess what she said, "You are probable right."  Evidently the implants are under the "pecs" and with the trauma of surgery and radiation, these muscles are tightening up, which is causing some pull on the muscles along the spine, which creates muscle strain along the low back.  So, for the past two weeks I went to a physical therapists, learned some stretching techniques and viola' the pain has remarkable decreased.  YIPPEE!! 

Well, my dear friends....until next time!

ps.  If you need a little extra dose of hope.  My dear friend Shelly shares her cancer journey at the River of Hope website.